New Player, Better Rant
by Tactition101
Summary: Lodge was able to find a player five for their third attempt at playing his Mask of Death mod but thought it would be a good idea to still have the Paladin. He is even less impressed with Joanna's choice at the end of the game then Cass was. A The Gamers 2: Dorkness Rising Fic. Go watch that first before reading if you haven't already.


New Player, Better Rant

Summary: Lodge was able to find a player five for their third attempt at playing his Mask of Death mod but thought it would be a good idea to still have the Paladin. He is even less impressed with Joanna's choice at the end of the game then Cass was. A The Gamers 2: Dorkness Rising Fic. Go watch that first before reading if you haven't already.

Character/Player List

Sir Osric/Lodge (Considered as an NPC due to being played by Game Master)

Daphne/Joanna

Flynn/Leo

Brother Silence/Cass

Luster/Gary

Randal/Tac

Story Start: Therin's Cathedral

Flynn the bard was just revived by having holy water poured on his forehead as the rest of the party, a currently depowered Paladin named Sir Osric, a spear wielding Warrior who was more Intelligent then Powerful named Daphne, a rather unconventional Monk named Brother Silence, a 'Chaotic Neutral' Mage who apparently couldn't decide whether they were male or female named Luster, and finally an Archer with a small amount of magic training that he used to enchant his arrows named Randal stepped into the room.

"Alive? Good, it's time." Daphne said, gesturing towards where their final enemy, the Hierophant and thus leader of the very temple they were in was waiting.

Getting up off the platform he had been laid on, Flynn said to the priestess that had revived him "Keep that water handy." A mouthed 'okay' was his response as he followed his team mates out of the room.

Daphne lead the way into the chamber where they had first met the Hierophant where he stood, the Lord High Inquisitor of the Paladins standing stoically behind him and said "Great Hierophant, we beg an audience!"

"Ah, uninvited guests." The man said, gesturing with the hand that held the Mask of Death that the party had struggled for so much to obtain, only to have him swipe it from them, revealing HIM to be the final enemy and not Mort Kemnon like everyone had believed. In his other hand, the Heart of Therin, an orb said to be composed of solid light mounted on a staff flashed the slightest bit brighter at his words, though none saw this action.

"Give us the Mask!" Osric demanded.

"And why would we do this?" The Hierophant asked, sounding honestly confused.

"It must be destroyed!" Flynn said.

"My dear boy, why would I wish the Mask destroyed?" The Hierophant asked, still sounding confused about why the party was opposing him.

"It is evil! It must be destroyed for the glory of your Goddess!" Daphne said taking a few steps forward as she did so.

"Ah, it is the glory for our Goddess, that we shall wear the Mask!" The Hierophant said, and every one stiffened, Daphne and Osric's grips tightening on their held weapons while Flynn fingered his dagger with his left hand and Randal in the back began reaching up to pull an arrow from his quiver as the man stepped down from his raised position and gesturing with the Mask as he continued "Before the threat of Mort Kemnon, the people turned their backs on Therin! They became complacent, _unholy_! By depriving them of their Goddess, I have _rekindled_ their faith! Their fear of death _drives_ them into the saving light of Therin!"

Daphne raised her spear to point at the Hierophant properly as she said "When the King finds out what you've done!"

"The King?!" The Hierophant asked incredulously before he gestured even more aggressively as he said "The King wouldn't understand! Now I rule, as King, as Hierophant, and as AVATAR, of our GODDESS!" He said the last part while looking up fervently before he began putting on the mask. At that point, the until then complacent Randal finished drawing his arrow from his quiver and quickly nocked then drew it back on his bow and released. But just as the arrow reached the traitor with a literal god complex, the Hierophant finished putting on the mask and a pulse of dark power somehow tinted with the light of his 'chosen' deity knocked it off course and the arrow embedded itself in the wall behind the Hierophant as he continued "I brought peace to these unworthy lands. _I_ resurrected the glory of the Light! AND ONLY _I_ AM DESERVING OF THE POWER OF THERIN! NOW, KNEEL BEFORE THE POWER OF YOUR NEW GOD!"

His hand lit up with power and light spread from it, forcing the Party to fall to their knees. The Hierophant gestured and the Inquisitor stepped forward. As the 'Avatar' gestured again, Daphne was brought to her feet, the better to see the long dagger the Inquisitor pulled out as he prepared to kill her. But just as he came to stand behind her and pulled her head back to slit her throat, Osric somehow pushed the light up with his shield and sprung to his feet, running his sword through the Inquisitor's side killing him.

Pulling his sword out, the Paladin watched his Order's leader drop to the ground before he turned and pointed his sword at the Hierophant and said "You have betrayed your vows and your Goddess! She will not stand for this blasphemy, and neither shall I!"

"Then join her in the World Beyond!" The Hierophant said and then began blasting the Paladin with red tinged lightning.

As the Paladin was tortured, the others could only watch, all of them including a once again kneeling Daphne kept in various positions of kneeling respect against their wills. Flynn though cocked his head as he thought to himself 'Now how did that go, AH, right!' Somehow managing to bring his Lute into position, the Bard began singing the Hym to Therin.

As his voice filled the room, the Heart of Therin began shining even brighter and the Hierophant glanced at it in alarm as he asked "The Goddess?!"

"Daphne! The Heart! Therin is trapped in the Heart!" Osric shouted, pointing at the 'holy' item only for the Hierophant to blast him with lightning again.

He only got a few seconds of lightning off though as Flynn raised his voice higher and the orb shined even brighter. Stumbling back a few steps as he once more looked at the Heart, he said "I am your Avatar!"

Standing up with a determined sneer, Daphne declared "May the Light of Therin be upon you!" and with a mighty throw absolutely _shattered_ the Heart, causing Light to spill out and fill the room, freeing the others who immediately staggered to their feet. The others glanced around the room and noticed that not only was the Inquisitor's body gone, but so was the Hierophant and Daphne. The others then looked at where Osric still lay and walked over to see the shattered Mask of Death on his chest. Randal quickly moved to kneel beside him, putting a pair of fingers to the Paladin's neck. A moment later, he looked up at the other three and shook his head with a frown.

Scene Change: The Realm of Light

Daphne looked around her in awe before she sensed someone behind her. Turning around, she immediately dropped into a kneeling bow to Therin. The Goddess smiled and said "Rise, Daphne. You have freed me from my prison, and have my thanks. Of all your fellows it was you who never strayed from the path of goodness and law. And so, as reward, I shall grant you any one wish that you desire."

Scene Change: Lodge's House

"No way!" Gary said stunned, an expression that Leo mirrored as he asked "Limited or Unlimited?!"

"She's a Goddess, dude! It's Unlimited!" Cass said with a grin before turning to Joanna sitting next to him and continued "You could wish for anything."

"Go for Levels! You could be like 20th level everything." Leo suggested.

"No, no, no, gear! Gear! You could wish for everything that is in these books." Gary countered, gesturing at the guide books on the table.

"No, no, no, no, no! Don't think small!" Cass said excitedly before turning back to Joanna and said "Wish yourself immortal. Have her make you a goddess as well."

As Gary and Leo leaned back in their chairs with gasps of awe, on Joanna's other side, Matt, better known as Tac to his gaming friends let out a hum at that even as he glanced at Kevin. Said Game Master was staring intently at Daphne, not that the gamer could blame him. According to the others, they had never actually gotten this far into his story and he was clearly eager to know what Joanna would do. Said New Player was silent for a moment before she made her wish.

Scene Change: The Realm of Light

"I wish that you bring Sir Osric back to life." Daphne stated.

Therin beamed a smile at her so bright it might as well have been made out of her element as she said "As you wish…"

Scene Change: Lodge's House

" _That_ was AWESOME!" Leo said and Joanna grinned, which only got bigger at Kevin's "That's beautiful."

Other people weren't so impressed though. Cass had a massively disappointed look on his face as he said "That is so _freaking_ STUPID! I have seen stupid decisions before but that is the single most lame retarded one ever!"

Joanna drew back slightly in shock but before Cass could really get started on his tirade, Matt reached behind the girl and put his hand on his fellow gamer's shoulder and said "Cass, allow me." Cass settled down a little and just as Joanna turned her head towards Matt, his hand shot from his shoulder to the back of her head as he near shouted " _What is your malfunction woman_?!"

"Wh-what?" Joanna asked with wide eyes as she held the back of her head. The hit hadn't actually hurt, but the fact that Matt, who during the game had seemed like a pretty nice guy, had actually _hit_ her was mind boggling.

Matt was all too happy to clarify as he narrowed his eyes and said "You just wasted an unlimited wish from a deity level being on a Lazarus!"

"It's what my character would have done." Joanna defended herself.

"Would she?!" Matt asked, leaning forward a little. He steamrolled over anything Joanna could have said though as he continued "How many times was Flynn resurrected in this campaign?" That had Joanna's mouth snapping shut as he continued "Permadeath is not a thing in this game. Hell, Flynn got revived again not even fifteen minutes ago! We are in the Cathedral of Therin herself where just pouring a little bit of holy water could have revived Osric. And yet you ask a Goddess to revive him as your wish? You could have had the ultimate hack in upgrading your character but you wasted it on something that is already a game mechanic! If you wanted your character to be all noble then maybe you should have wished for something like the eradication of all disease in the Land, that at least would have been meaningful. Maybe you should have saved some of those Intelligence points you gave Daphne for yourself!"

Matt finished his tirade with a huff and leaned back with crossed arms glowering at her. Joanna glanced around at the others and to her dismay found that Gary and Leo seemed to agree with him as they got past their awe of the moment and instead let their gamer mindsets analyze what had happened. Cass wasn't even worth looking at, though she could feel the smugness coming from him. She glanced at Kevin in desperation only to see his pensive look. Looking down at the table in shame, Joanna asked in a slightly defeated voice "I don't suppose I could ask for a do over?"

"Sure." Kevin said kindly and Joanna nodded. A moment later, she looked back up and made her new wish. What was the wish? Well, I'll let you guys decide that for yourselves.

END

Author's Notes: Update Schedule and Poll on my Profile

Ever since my last rewatching of the movie, Joanna's wish has been bugging me. She witnessed Leo's character constantly dying then being brought back to life but then she takes a wish where she could have anything and uses it to bring an NPC back to life? That doesn't sound as intelligent or wise as Joanna was made out to be in the movie.


End file.
